Visit of the Cardinal of Bangui to the Diocese of Bouar

In fact, as part of his pastoral visits, the first Central African Cardinal, Metropolitan Archbishop of Bangui, made a pastoral visit to the diocese of Bouar. The parish of the Sacred Heart of Niem was not on the margins of this pastoral visit.

The purpose of this visit was to encourage the people and strengthen the faith of the Christian faithful. The local ordinary, Mons Mirek, Bishop of the diocese of Bouar, accompanied the Cardinal.

Already from 7 in the morning the faithful of the parish of the Sacred Heart of Niem went into action to welcome the arrival of the Cardinal. Seeing the hard work of the Christian community, all the people of Niem joined in: adults and children, under a scorching sun, looking forward to the arrival of their visitors. The church was packed with people. The Eucharistic celebration took place at 9.30 and was presided over by the Cardinal with, at his side, the Bishop Mirek, Fr. Arialdo Urbani SCJ, parish priest and the members of the community, Fr. Tiziano Pozzi SCJ and Fr. Marie-Paulin Yarkaï SCJ, with other priests who came to Niem for the occasion, in the presence of course of religious, civil and military authorities.

At the end of the mass, there were various interventions by the guests. The local authorities did not fail to submit to the cardinal their various concerns related to the difficult socio-political situation that the country is experiencing.

The pastoral visit of the cardinal was crowned by a fraternal lunch followed by a visit to the various institutions, the health center and the schools.